Walking through the gospel of John with woodcut art, 2-5 pages of Ann's inimitable writing per day and space to journal my own thoughts? It's beautiful. I'm encouraging all my friends to grab a copy and walk through John together this Lent. We have a 4'5" Christmas tree that is now a Seasons tree, and the woodcuts in the book also come in ornament sizes to print and put on the tree daily as we read. I love the interactive nature of this pilgrimage: not just reading scripture and Ann's thoughts but coloring the woodcut to hang it on the tree, a growing reminder of the Lenten journey. From Day 5, "His pilgrimage of love to you is what moves you into a pilgrimage of love to Him — and into his infinite heart of love for you, which holds the expansive life." From Day 19, on "I and the Father are one," Ann explains, "In the Greek, it reads 'one,' not in the masculine, which would have meant 'one person,' but rather neuter in gender, which means Jesus and God are one in 'essence.' One in unity, in purpose, in heart, in nature, in intention, in power. Jesus and God are one, and Jesus is God in the flesh." From Day 28, "Whatever happened doesn't define who you happen to be. The most definite thing about you is that you are the one whom Jesus definitely loves." Heads up: The forty days of Lent start at Ash Wednesday and do not include Sundays (in not of Lent) but this pilgrimage is timed to start the day AFTER Ash Wednesday and continue to Easter Sunday as day 40, but not including other Sundays in Lent. (There is an introduction that could be read on Ash Wednesday!) There's time to grab a copy, grab some friends, and take the pilgrimage!

Ann Voskamp has a way of weaving beauty and truth together in a way that reaches deep into the heart, and Loved to Life is no exception. This 40-day journey through the Gospel of John is more than a devotional—it’s an invitation to truly experience Jesus, not just in knowledge, but in a transformative, daily encounter. As someone who is passionate about studying scripture and growing in faith, I found this book to be a refreshing challenge. Voskamp’s poetic yet profound writing style gently nudges readers to move beyond the surface of their faith and dive deeper into what it means to be fully loved by Christ. Each day’s reading includes a passage from John, a devotional reflection, and a stunning woodcut illustration that adds a contemplative element to the experience. It’s not just words on a page; it’s an immersive journey with Love Himself. What stood out most to me was the reminder that God doesn’t just want us to survive—He wants us to live fully in His love. In a world that often feels chaotic, where distractions and doubts can pull us away from His presence, Loved to Life is a call back to the heart of faith: abiding in Christ. This book is especially meaningful for those seeking renewal, those who feel weary in their faith, or those who simply want to slow down and be reminded of the depth of God’s love. If you’re looking for a devotional that is rich in scripture, beautifully written, and deeply transformative, Loved to Life is a book worth savoring. I highly recommend it to fellow believers who long to experience God’s love in a fresh and powerful way.

These tender, deep-reaching, heart-awakening, soul-healing words just may be Ann’s best (yet!). She writes as effortlessly beautiful as always, but there’s something almost piercing about this message. Perhaps it’s because it’s meant so much to Ann for so long, but you can feel the throbbing ache in the heart of God reaching right through her words, welcoming you to the very fullest, most loved life. Could there be a more needed book?! I think not! Because like you prepare your heart for Easter, you now get to lean into Lent with your heart wide open and Jesus’ arms wrapped around you 🥹

Everything about life here on earth is so complicated - we love so deeply, we feel so strongly, we want so much, and there is struggle, always lack, we always come up short, always begging God for help and direction. Ann's book provides a beautiful new perspective. She took me to another place, a place where the answers and solutions dim. Rather, Loved to Life took me on a journey to the ONE who created me with all my aches and desires and innumerable blemishes; the One who holds me through my suffering, the One who wants....me. "But when you see how Jesus chose to take His cup of suffering for you, you can also take yours, the cup handed to you, and you can look to the sky and say, 'You who have given me every breath, You don't owe me more. You who have given me one day, you don't owe me two. You who have given me every single heartbeat for every single second I have ever known, You don't owe me anything more. '" "God did not make the world so that there is pain, but when a broken world breaks our hearts, God works through the pain so that there is purpose even in all the tender mystery, so that there is always poetry in His intimate presence, so that His passionate love will love us to a deeper kind of a life of meaning, in the midst of the ache." "His suffering love is meant to be savored, swallowed down - His strength into your sinews. His kind of supernatural love you have to get into your soul, pulsing through your veins, enlarging the chambers of your heart, enlivening the neural matter of your mind, surging and invigorating and beating our the exhilarating rhythm of your being, the essence of you - becoming you." This book is a gift. I could not recommend it more highly - we have been loved to life! I am grateful to the core.